Bill Belichick isn't bending to NFL kickoff rule and others may follow suit
https://www.yahoo.com/sports/news/bill-belichick-isnt-bending-to-nfl-kickoff-rule-and-others-may-follow-suit-001819719.html
New England coach Bill Belichick, among others, appears to have considered the rule differently than intended. The 25-yard line change may indeed incentivize a receiver to take a safe knee, but it also tempts the kicking team to hit it higher and shorter and force a return. Giving up those 5 extra yards is too valuable.
Here, late in the action in Arizona, was the real-time, game-on-the-line example. Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski didn’t blast the kick into the end zone hoping for a touchback. Instead, he booted it as high as possible, giving his teammates time to rush down the field, hoping to land close to the 1-yard line and forcing a return.
It worked. The Cardinals’ Andre Ellington took it at the 3 and rushed forward, only to be tackled by Nate Ebner and Patrick Chung at the 17. That alone meant plus-8 yards for New England. There was more however. The Patriots’ Jonathan Jones had come flying down the field only to draw a holding penalty on the Cardinals’ Tyvon Branch. That sent Arizona all the way back to their own 8-yard line – now a plus 17-yard play for New England.
In a moment when Arizona needed every inch to get close enough for a game-winning field goal – it would miss a 47-yarder – those 17 yards may have been the reason the Patriots eventually won the game.
= new reply since forum marked as read
